Would you let your mortgage lender or servicer purchase wind, hazard or flood insurance on your home? For most homeowners, the answer would be a resounding no. Yet force-placed insurance, which has proven to be financially ruinous for many consumers, is more common than you might think.

Although many mortgage contracts allow a bank to force-place coverage for wind, flood or hazard insurance on a property if the owner fails to maintain required coverage, while once rare, the chaos created by the housing crises has made the force-placing of insurance an all-to-common occurrence in recent years.  Unfortunately, force-placed policies generally cost as much as 10-times more, and offer far less protection, compared to standard insurance policies most people can obtain on their own. For many already-struggling property owners, hefty premiums for a forced-placed policy were what finally drove them into foreclosure.

Regulators Set Their Sights on Force-Placed Insurance Market

Our recent investigations and others by state regulators have found that collusion between banks and insurers made this sad situation far worse than it needed to be. For example, last year an investigation by the New York Department of Financial Service determined that profit sharing between lenders and insurers inflated the price of force-placed insurance by creating incentives for banks and mortgage servicers to buy policies with high premiums

“Our investigation found that insurers and banks built a network of troubling relationships and payoffs that helped drive premiums sky-high,” Benjamin M. Lawsky, New York’s top financial regulator, said earlier this year. “Those improper practices created significant conflicts of interest and saddled homeowners, taxpayers and investors with millions of dollars in unfair and unnecessary costs.”

New York recently reached a large settlement with Assurant, one of the largest providers of force-placed insurance. According to a report from The New York Times, the settlement included several provisions that prohibit some commissions and expenses.  And in September 2013, Governor Andrew Cuomo proposed new regulations that would, among other things, eliminate kickbacks in the industry that drove up premiums.

What to Do If You’ve Been the Victim of Force-Placed Insurance

If you were forced into foreclosure or had your credit ruined because of force-placed insurance, you do have rights. Right now, hundreds of consumers around the country are seeking compensation against banks and insurers that may have engaged in predatory practices and improperly force-placed insurance on their homes. Gilman Law LLP is already representing numerous plaintiffs in force-placed insurance lawsuits, and continues to investigate claims against a number of big mortgage lenders, including:

• Bank of America
•  HSBC
• Green Tree
• Nationstar
• Chase
• Citizens Bank
• OCWEN
• US Bank
• Ally Financial, Inc., formerly GMAC
• Insurers: Assurant, American Security, QBE, and Balboa

Now that regulators are finally paying attention, consumers may face their best chance for receiving compensation for the financial harm they suffered due to the industry’s unscrupulous practices. The attorneys at Gilman Law LLP believe that in some cases, homeowners who had insurance imposed on their property could be due damages equal to as much as 20% of the premiums they were assessed for force-placed policies.

Victims of force-placed insurance only have a limited time in which to act. To make sure your claim for restitution isn’t time barred by your state’s statute of limitations, please contact Gilman Law LLP by filling out our online free consultation form, or CALL TOLL FREE (888) 252-0048.

Lipitor, a popular statin drug used to help lower LDL or “bad cholesterol” has been linked to an increased risk of diabetes, especially in woman.  In 2012, information was added to the Lipitor label regarding its possible association with diabetes following a review by the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA). One study published that same year found that post-menopausal women who take statins like Lipitor were nearly 50% more likely to develop Type 2 diabetes.

Gilman Law LLP, a leading consumer protection law firm with over 40 years of experience safeguarding the rights of victims, is investigating Lipitor lawsuits on behalf of individuals who developed Type 2 diabetes while being treated with this medication. If you or a loved one suffer from diabetes that may be related to the use of Lipitor, we urge you to contact Gilman Law LLP today to learn more about filing a Lipitor diabetes lawsuit.

Lipitor and Diabetes

Launched in 1996, Lipitor works by preventing the liver from creating an enzyme that helps the body produce cholesterol. According to Reuters, Lipitor was once the all-time biggest selling prescription medicine with cumulative sales in of more than $140 billion.  Generic versions of Lipitor became available in 2011.

In February 2012, the FDA ordered the makers of Lipitor and other statins to add new information to the Warning and Precautions section of the drug labels after research indicated the medications might put users at risk of developing Type 2 diabetes, especially in post-menopausal women.  The new warnings were added after a study conducted at the University of Massachusetts Medical School found that women who took statins were 50% more likely to develop diabetes compared to women who were not.  Those at greatest risk for developing Lipitor diabetes included women who are obese, have high blood sugar, or a family history of diabetes.

The study was, unfortunately, not the first to suggest a link between Lipitor and diabetes. One meta-analysis involving 13 separate studies that was published in June 2010 found that at statin users had a 9% increased risk for diabetes.  Another that was published in 2011 found that patients who took high doses of Lipitor or other statins faced an increased risk for the disease.

Unfortunately, the FDA’s Lipitor diabetes warning may have come too late for thousands of patients.  Type 2 diabetes is a serious disease that has life-long health consequences. Patients taking Lipitor should inform their doctor at once if they experience any symptoms of Lipitor diabetes, including:

• Increased thirst or hunger
• Increased urination
• Unexplained weight loss
• Unexplained fatigue
• Blurred vision
• Slow-healing sores or frequent infections
• Areas of darkened skin

Legal Help for Victims of Lipitor Diabetes

A number of Lipitor diabetes lawsuits have already been filed in courts around the country. If you took Lipitor and were diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, you may be entitled to significant compensation.  For a no-obligation evaluation of your potential Lipitor lawsuit, please fill out our free consultation form or call us direct to speak with one of our attorneys at (888) 252-0048.

U.S. health regulators have placed strict limits on the use of oral Nizoral tablets after a review indicated the prescription anti-fungal medication causes potentially fatal liver injuries, as well as adrenal gland problems and dangerous drug interactions. In a communication issued on July 26th, 2013, the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) cautioned that Nizoral tablets should never be a first-line treatment for any fungal infection.

Nizoral, which is marketed by Johnson & Johnson, is also sold in topical formulations, including creams and shampoos. Those versions of the drug are not affected by the FDA’s new warnings.

While the FDA has taken drastic steps to limit the use of Nizoral tablets, it appears the drug will remain on the market in the U.S. However, European regulators have recommended that marketing of Nizoral tablets be suspended entirely. In a statement that was also issued on July 26th, the European Medicines Agency’s Committee on Medicinal Products for Human Use warned that the risk of Nizoral liver injury outweighs any benefits associated with its use.

Nizoral Liver Injury Warnings

According to the FDA, a new Black Box Warning regarding liver injury that may result in transplantation, or even death, has been added to the label of Nizoral tablets. A Black Box Warning is the FDA’s most serious drug safety warning, and signifies that medical studies indicate that the drug carries a significant risk of serious or even life-threatening side effects. Because of the risk of Nizoral liver injuries, the new Black Box label will state that the oral tablets should never be a first choice for treating fungal infections, and advises that Nizoral “is only appropriate for certain fungal infections, known as endemic mycoses, only when alternative antifungal therapies are not available or tolerated.”

The Black Box also includes a contraindication against the use of Nizoral tablets in patients who suffer from pre-existing liver disease, and removes indications for dermatophyte and Candida infections. It further states that Nizoral should only be used to treat certain other infections when other anti-fungal treatments have failed or are not tolerated.

The FDA deemed the new Black Box label necessary after it completed a comprehensive benefit-risk assessment of the safety and efficacy of Nizoral. Among other things, data retrieved from the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System indicated that the risk of Nizoral liver injury was higher compared to the risk associated with other antifungal medications. The FDA also reviewed a published study in the U.K. General Practice Research Database that suggested a risk of acute liver injury of approximately 1 in 500 patients. In addition, the agency said that an analysis of liver transplantation data indicated that Nizoral liver injury accounted for proportionately more liver transplants than liver injuries associated with other antifungal drugs.

Other Nizoral Side Effects

The Nizoral tablet label has also been revised to include a recommendation that doctors monitor adrenal function in patients who have existing adrenal problems or who are under prolonged periods of stress. According to the FDA, reports have indicated that the use of Nizoral tablets can decrease corticosteroid production and cause adrenal insufficiency. Finally, the label now states that the use of Nizoral tablets is contraindicated in patients taking dofetilide (Tikosyn), quinidine, pimozide (Orap), and cisapride (Propulsid). According to the FDA, all medications that a patient is currently taking should be assessed for possible interactions with Nizoral tablets, as it may interact with other drugs to cause serious and potentially life-threatening outcomes, such as heart rhythm problems.

Legal Help for Nizoral Injuries

Gilman Law LLP is offering free legal consultations to individuals who suffered liver injuries, adrenal gland problems, or dangerous drug interactions that may have been associated with the use of Nizoral tablets. To ensure the statute of limitations on their claim does not run out, potential plaintiffs should contact the firm immediately. Once the statute of limitations expires, Nizoral victims who haven’t filed suit will be unable to recover damages for their injuries. Free Nizoral lawsuit consultations are available by filling out the form on this page, or calling toll free at 1-888-252-0048.

Why Gilman Law, LLP?

Gilman Law LLP is a national litigation firm focusing on securities litigation, consumer class actions and complex business litigation. For 40 years our attorneys have recovered more than a billion dollars on behalf of our clients. Gilman and Pastor’s managing partner, Kenneth G. Gilman has extensive experience over the last 40 years in recovering investment losses from securities fraud.

Mr. Gilman was honored to be appointed by the United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida, as the Equity Receiver, to serve the District Court by marshalling and recovering funds arising out of the massive Ponzi scheme known as the Intercontinental Commodity Pool Fraud. Mr. Gilman pursued and recovered assets for investors from all responsible parties, including the firm’s auditors. In another high profile action, Mr. Gilman served as special counsel for the Department of Justice recovering investment losses and working with international authorities in Switzerland and the Cayman Islands to penetrate bank secrecy laws and locate funds to which the investors were entitled.

He also worked with the U.S. Prosecutors to make certain that those who perpetrated the securities fraud were sentenced to jail for their crimes.  Mr. Gilman also was honored to represent the Receiver in the massive nationwide Lloyd Carr Fraud Ponzi scheme. As part of that representation, he pursued responsible third parties as special counsel for the Department of Justice in State and Federal Courts in Massachusetts, Michigan and Florida.